#PoetryFriday - Spring Dress Rehearsal

       Welcome to the Spring Dress Rehearsal - Spring is Saturday!  

        Yes, waiting, waiting and then we really did have snow. The weather people were scrambling with the 'why' of the snow being so late. This picture is early Saturday. I wanted to show those sprouts to prove that spring is on its way. The BIG snow arrived overnight and all day Sunday!

           Most everyone was talking about time this past week, what 'time' people first heard about Covid-19, what 'time' they decided that it was going to be a serious threat to our lives, what 'time' did they first have a friend with the virus, how long a 'time' did it take to actually see anyone, friends or family? Perhaps other important questions are "When will we stop talking about the virus?" and "When will it really be spring?" (Daylight Savings Time change also arrived this past week. I'm not sure anyone is asking about that.)

            I have a little sign I bought long ago at a shop in Concord, Massachusetts after spending the day at Walden Pond with my students. It pleases me and perhaps it will please you, too, especially since March, 2020. Are you fishing in a Thoreau kind of way?

             Welcome to Poetry Friday where words wait to entertain, educate, and blast you with emotion -- the big three E's!

                      Like Clockwork

 

 Albeit time is but an abstract thought;

 

Seldom is the minute that can be bought.

 

We count it, and kill it, and watch it pass,

 

Then try to save it, and cannot, alas!

 

We turn it backward, and forward spring it,

 

Waste it, clock it, coordinate it.

 

Time heals, time marches, we yearn for more.

 

Though time lies heavy, there is a time for

 

everything. In the blink of an eye,

 

once in a blue moon, old rules do not apply.

 

Linda Baie ©

 

          Thank you for joining us today. Add your post below to Inlinkz! I will be at the bookstore where I volunteer, home about six, mountain time. Hope everything works for you as you add your links! (The link goes live at 2 pm Mountain Time.)

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Poetry Friday - Goodbyes

          This first Friday of September, Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong hosts this Poetry Friday at their blog, Poetry for Children. Thanks, Sylvia and Janet! I have also been watching the hurricane news, wishing a good outcome for all those in this community. It is heart-breaking to see the news of those in the Bahamas. 

          This past Wednesday it was six years since my husband, Arvie, left us. I still want to tell him things, ask him questions, be with him. My life is as good as I can make it, but I've never stopped missing him. I, with Arvie, have raised children of which I am so proud, who have chosen loving spouses whom I love being part of our family. And many of you know because of them, I have three special grandchildren. 
         Time is fleeting. We all know that. Thoreau touches me with this quote: "“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.” ~ “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” Walden 
          Here's a poem I originally wrote for Carter, my oldest grandchild, now in his first year at college. I've changed it a bit to include the grand-girls, too, now ten and eight. I've written more than one poem about them, call them "goodbye" poems, trying to capture them at certain ages before that time flies away!
         When I am with them all, I wish Arvie could see the children growing up, and have fun with them as I know he would have if he were still here. He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather.

at the beach - June 2019

         Sometimes Goodbyes

Oops, it’s time. I must depart

     from these kids who stole my heart.

     Now, they’re looking very tall;

     some never play with toys at all.

     I remember they used to be

     the ones who sat and read with me,

     and held my hand as we walked along

     and listened while I sang them songs.

     I also know though nearly grown,

      they’re still the little kids I’ve known.

Linda Baie ©

Celebrating Time Fishing

     Celebrating with Ruth Ayres and others today. Come visit to see how wonderful it is to celebrate all the delights of the week! 

REMEMBER, IF INTERESTED, CYBIL'S NOMINATIONS BEGIN OCTOBER 1ST. THAT'S TOMORROW! I'M THRILLED TO BE A POETRY JUDGE AGAIN, BUT WE'LL HAVE NO BOOKS TO READ IF YOU DON'T NOMINATE! FIND OUT MORE HERE!

I discovered this quote by Henry David Thoreau when I visited his place and Walden Pond a long time ago with my students: 

“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in."

        I'm celebrating time today, that sometimes-elusive thing we often wish more of. When I look back, however, I have fished quite a lot of wonder in these past days!

Time for:

       Visiting my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson especially to be with them for Carter's marching band performance during the Friday Night Lights football game.

       Time because of a flight delay to create a poem from pictures at the airport.

Celebrating Time

              I'm celebrating each Saturday or Sunday with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build. Come join in to share your own special celebrations.


          I wrote about the ordinary earlier this week, and wrote a poem about nothing yesterday. It feels as if I have immersed myself into moments of contemplation these days. It was a good week: time with my grand-girls, time observing and talking with that teacher-to-be, time exercising, time for phone calls from friends and family, and time at home-reading, writing, cleaning. The weather is lovely, and I love being able to be outside walking. I also read a little Thoreau, from a book of selections from his journals. His words, "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in" fills me with delight. So today I celebrate TIME, just as Thoreau wrote, dipping into that stream and enjoying every minute.
          Wishing you time to spend doing what you love, whatever that may be.

one more sky picture - our skies are so beautiful

30/31 Time And Choices - Weaving More Than Yarn

Thank you to
       Stacey, Tara, Betsy, Anna, Dana and Beth for 

keeping us going, keeping writing about teaching along with your lives, slicers' lives, and all the myriad behind-the-scene details that enter into this month. Almost done, nearly there, what a journey!

Thank you to so many slicers who read my posts, who commented, and to those who wrote such words of inspiration that I had to re-read them, or copy and print them, or bookmark them for my teaching archives for future use. Your words will live on. Isn't that a wonderful thought?

I'm linking up to Two Writing Teachers for the 30th slice of 31!

Wow, next to the last day, and for one of the first times, I haven't yet linked my post. There aren't enough hours... I wove more than yarn yesterday into my life. My first day of spring break filled me up like a deep breath!

More Slow-More Learning

The Tuesday Slice of Life is hosted by Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers.  Go look, read, and reflect!









Yesterday I wrote my post about books read last week, including this in an introduction to a new picture book shared by a friend and colleague:  One of my colleagues has chosen to do a 'food' year with her primary students. They will study gardens, growing in the wild, different cultures, cooking, and any other topic connected to food. We share many picture books and I count it as a pleasure whenever I can find a book about food that she doesn't know. I learn a lot from her about books, but also about teaching the youngest students in our school.  I am always grateful when I talk with her because she shows such intention in her teaching.  Each thing she does has a reason to "be" in her classroom and in her work with students. My talks with her make me think about my own ideas, enhance them and sometimes change them.  

      Some time in the past I wrote a post titled "good teaching is a conversation".   I have the pleasure of many conversations with colleagues because that is my job, and I end my days reflecting on those words, taking notes on the learning that I've done just through the talk.    
      While considering these ideas, it is my hope that as much as possible, everyone will take the time to slow down and talk with colleagues, ones next door and those on the other sides of your buildings.  Sharing teaching ideas, reasons why, good parts and not so good are ways we can grow in our teaching without spending one dime on workshops or professional books, although those are of value too.  The professionals, remember, are right there in the building with you. Please take time to experience some of those slices-of-life conversations I'm describing.
 
photo credit: mrsdkrebs via photopin cc

Finding Time

The delightful and valuable slices of life on Tuesday are hosted by Ruth and Stacey from their blog, Two Writing Teachers.  Please post your own slice or visit to read other's.  It's a wonderful community!

       In these beginning days of school, teachers begin the lament of “Time, we never have enough time!”  And it’s true, there doesn’t seem to be enough time to talk with all the students, teach all the lessons, evaluate all the projects, respond to all the writing, read all the books, sharpen all the pencils.  How longingly we look at a short few weeks ago—summer!

       I don’t have the answer that will solve every time challenge, but I do want to remind everyone that it’s a good teaching habit to ask this question of yourself:  What task am I doing that students in class could handle just as well?  Another way to look at it is to ask what task can be given away that also might teach students a new skill?  It’s a conversation with yourself or your team of colleagues that may take some of that heavy load off your shoulders.